Biology subjects

Alenius, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Alenius, M..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Activity and stress during a critical period regulate olfactory sensory neuron differentiation

Here, we reveal that the regulation of Drosophila odorant receptor (OR) expression during the pupal stage is permissive and imprecise. We found that olfactory sensory neuron activity directly after hatching both directs and refines OR expression. We demonstrate that, as in mice, dLsd1 and Su(var)3-9 balance heterochromatin formation to direct OR expression. Neuronal activity induces dLsd1 and Su(var)3-9 expression, linking neuronal activity to OR expression. OR expression refinement shows a restricted duration, suggesting a gene regulatory critical period brings olfactory sensory neuron differentiation to an end. Consistent with a change in differentiation, stress during the critical period represses dLsd1 and Su(var)3-9 expression and makes the early permissive OR expression permanent. This induced permissive gene regulatory state makes OR expression resilient to stress later in life. Hence, during a critical period, OR activity feedback similar to in mouse OR selection, defines adult OR expression in Drosophila.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

A critical period terminates the differentiation of olfactory sensory neurons

Development generates a vast number of neuron types and classes. When and how neuronal differentiation end is poorly understood. Here, we show that Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) matures during a critical period and reveal that the differentiation termination mechanism is similar to the mammalian odorant receptor (OR) choice mechanism. We first showed that initiation of Drosophila OR expression required heterochromatin opening and a H3K9me3 demethylase, Kdm4b. Further genetic studies demonstrated that Lsd1 and su(var)3-9, similar to mouse, were required to balance heterochromatin in order to stabilize OR expression. Expression analysis showed that Lsd1, su(var)3-9 increased and Kdm4b decreased during the first two days after eclosion. We further showed that environment changes during the period, but not after, caused permanent transformed Lsd1, su(var)3-9 and Kdm4b expression and altered OR gene regulation. These results together suggest the last step in OSN terminal differentiation to be a gene regulatory critical period.

neuroscience↗